Ibn Abi Shayba (d. 235 H.)

July 18th, 2008 by Shaykh Gibril Fouad Haddad

It is similarly related from the Companion Malik al-Dar3 that the people suffered a drought during the successorship of ‘Umar, whereupon a man came to the grave of the Prophet — Allah bless and greet him — and said: “O Messenger of Allah, ask for rain for your Community, for verily they have but perished!” after which the Prophet — Allah bless and greet him — appeared to him in a dream and told him: “Go to ‘Umar and give him my greeting, then tell him that they will be watered. Tell him: You must be clever, you must be clever!” The man went and told ‘Umar. The latter said: “O my Lord, I spare no effort except in what escapes my power!” Ibn Kathir cites it thus from al-Bayhaqi in al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya and says: isnaduhu sahih; (i.e. its chain is authentic)4 Ibn Abi Shayba cites it in his Musannaf with a sound (sahih) chain as confirmed by Ibn Hajar who says: rawa Ibn Abi Shayba bi isnadin sahih and cites the hadith in Fath al-Bari.5 He identifies Malik al-Dar as ‘Umar’s treasurer (khazin ‘Umar) and says that the man who visited and saw the Prophet — Allah bless and greet him — in his dream is identified as the Companion Bilal ibn al-Harith, and he counts this hadith among the reasons for al-Bukhari’s naming of the chapter “The people’s request to their leader for rain if they suffer drought.” He also mentions it in al-Isaba, where he says that Ibn Abi Khaythama cited it.6